Written by: Varda Nisar
Posted on: July 13, 2018 | 
It takes a brave soul – in this case two – to start something new; something that has no precedent and which is usually an afterthought. But with the intensified discourse on environment and our carbon footprint, it becomes critical that we look at waste management more closely, and particularly at the people who are championing it!
Pappu Recycles, a private initiative of Saaf Suthra Sheher, is the brain child of Mehrunisa Malik and Babar Naseem Khan, who aim to provide a proper recycling setup in the city of Islamabad. With 20 plus years of experience between them, both of them are environmentalists by profession, and describe waste management as an issue which is close to their hearts. Together, they lead a small but spirited team of seven individuals, who have been giving their all to the initiative.
Members of the team
Mehrunisa, who was born and bred in Islamabad, reminisces about a very different city. “It pains me to see Islamabad the way it is right now. As recently as 5 years back, it wasn’t this bad in terms of trash. We never used to see trash in the green areas or on the streets, the ditches or the nallahs. 25 years ago, one could fish in those streams, but not anymore. They have become defacto landfill sites!”
They started their work in 2016, and have already partnered up with many big names, all of whom also feel the burden of social responsibility, and are concerned about how their actions negatively impact our city, country and planet. These partners include the Belgian Embassy, Embassy of Germany, European Union Delegation, Embassy of Netherlands, Telenor, Hotel Margalla, and many more.
Signing MOU with Ambassador of Germany
A young, spectacle donning, walkman listening boy is the ‘Pappu’ of their campaigning, but don’t be duped by him. This seemingly cute mascot is just a front, which makes the entire idea of recycling seem less daunting. Hiding behind it, is a very complex system at work. With a proper setup located at Kuri, one is able to witness the intricacies of the entire process. Neat piles of tetra pack, shredded paper in bags, CDs and DVDs sorted in another corner, cardboards filled in one room, and plastic bottles in another, garbage has never looked so beautiful!
The facility at Kuri
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Pappu Recycles is currently collecting around 3000 kgs of waste a month, which is hardly a dent to the 1000 tons of waste that Islamabad produces every day. Yet, as Meherunisa puts it, “Considering this isn’t going in a landfill and just sitting around, it is still a significant figure.”
The waste collection is a logistical science in its own right. Their operations are divided into Households and Commercial Sector, and work on a philosophy of shared responsibility. The households, for example, can buy the trash cans from them, but need to ensure that the waste is sorted into Paper, Plastic, Tetra pack, Glass and Metal, which is then picked up once a month at a minimal charge. With around 75 households around Islamabad signed up for this already, and rising numbers each day, their routine ensures a low carbon and waste footprint.
The five types of bins
For their commercial setup, they again turn towards a holistic approach, ensuring that behavioral change is also part of their work. With free waste assessment, and staff trainings to offer, Pappu Recycle’s approach leans towards the ethical domain, rather than purely the commercial.
By the time the waste comes to the Pappu Recycles facility, things get tricky. For it is here that you realize that plastic is not just plastic. It includes wrappers, bags, bottles and bottle caps, each of which require a special plant for recycling. The next step is to ensure transparency, and thereby make certain that the trust that they have developed with their partners is not compromised in any way. This means making sure that the waste is being transferred to the right people, who can do the right thing with it, and not to a middleman! Fortunately, Pappu Recycles see their responsibilities through to the very end.
A girl throws a watter bottle into the Plastic Trash can by Pappu Recycles
Waste is not a part of our consciousness, since we rarely ever give it any thought. But for the sake of this planet, we need to change our ways. It is a sign of increased awareness about environmental issues that the trend of recycling is catching up with the local community of Islamabad. The concept of shared responsibility, which runs deep within the company, is a necessary social change that we all need to sign up for.
If you are interested in signing up for Pappu Recycle’s services in Islamabad, you can reach out to them at pappu@saafsheher.com, or call them up at 0316-5279758. To remain updated about their work, please visit: www.facebook.com/pappurecycles
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